Shipwrecks

Riddle of the Titanic – Robon Gardiner & Dan Van der Vat

Published by Weidenfield and Nicolson, London in 1995 a first edition soft cover. 312 pages, nicely illustrated. A very good copy.

Regarded as one of the more thorough Titanic books, with much about the before and aftermath. Written in the context of the finding of the wreck ..

Questions remain unanswered … Why was the man at the helm when she hit the iceberg packed off to South Africa? … Why did her reluctant Chief Officer still feel uneasy about a ship on which he had never sailed before … and, Why did one of her stewards “wish the bally ship at the bottom of the sea”?

Titanic well researched and written …

$25.00

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The Narrative of Captain David Woodward [Adventures and Suffering in the Celebes] -1805

An extremely scarce account, we can only find one other copy available.

The lengthy full title explains … The Narrative of Captain David Woodward and Four Seamen Who Lost their Ship while in a Boat at Sea and Surrendered Themselves up to the Malays in the Island of Celebes … containing an Interesting Account of their Sufferings from Hunger and Various Hardships, and their Escape from the Malays. After a Captivity of Two Year and a Half: Also, an Account of the Manners and Customs of That Country, and a Description of the Harbours & Coasts etc. Together with An Introduction and an Appendix containing Narratives of Various Escapes from Shipwrecks, under Great Hardships and Abstinence; holding out a Valuable Seaman’s Guide. And the Importance of Union, Confidence and Perseverance in the Midst of Distress.

Printed by Johnson, St Paul’s Church-Yard a second edition 1805 and despite this truly scarce. Octavo, 236 pages, rough cut edges as issued. Contemporary half calf with marbled paper covered boards showing some wear.

Frontispiece a profile of Woodward, folding chart of the Island of Celebes, larger folding chart of the Western Part of the Island (Celebes) visited by Captain Woodward and a two page plate of Proas, Canoes and Implements of War of the Malays.

The first 143 pages comprises Woodward’s narrative the events of which commenced in March 1791. Woodward had departed on an American Ship from Batavia to Manilla. There was a scarcity of provisions and Woodward along with five sailors (one died soon in the events if you are curious about the title) set off on a quest to find supplies. They got separated from their ship and after many adventures and near death with thirst and starvation surrendered themselves to the Malay of the Celebes. They were treated as slaves and suffered many hardships. Eventually they begin to find help and after a failed attempt to escape finally make it to safety at Macassar. From there they are engaged on an American ship, Woodward as Chief-mate and sail for Calcutta. There Woodward meets Captain Hubbard with whom he sails to Mauritius and there Woodward is given Command of the Ship. From there to Bourbon, round the Cape of Good Hope to St Helena for repairs. Then to Ascension and on to England.

Woodward follows this adventure with a description of the Celebes its climate and natural history, religion and manners and a brief vocabulary of the Malay language.

The other misadventures described include … Captain Inglefield’s Narrative; William Boys’s Narrative of the Luxembourgh Galley; Lieutenant Bligh’s Narrative; Loss of the Lady Hobart Packet; Loss of the Pandora Frigate and several more.

Appendices include several useful articles including …. Case of Thomas Travis – seven days in a Pit; Experiment of a Physician; Remarkable Case of the Effects of Long Abstinence, List of a Number of Accidents, Shipwrecks, Escapes etc.

Captain Woodward’s incredible hardship is the Celebes among the Malay’s

$890.00

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Further Selection from the Tragic History of the Sea 1559-1565

Published by the Hakluyt Society in 1967 as an addition to “Tragedies” published eight years earlier under the editorship of the Esteemed Professor Boxer, Vice-President of the Society.

The earlier work dealt with shipwrecks on the east coast of Africa. This selection are further east in or on their way to the East Indies. Also, they had never been translated into English before this book .. no mean task translating 16th Century Portuguese and dealing with the lack of proof reading characteristic of the Portuguese publishing world of the period.

Octavo, 170 pages nicely illustrated with helpful maps and charts. Very good condition with the original dust jacket.

We have the … “Narrative of the loss of the Aguia and Garca, 1559-60 by Diogo do Couto”; “Shipwreck of the Sao Palo and itinerary of the survivors by Henrique Dias” and “Misadventures of the Santo Antonio and Jorge d’Albuquerque by Afonso Luis”.

First translations from the original 16thC texts – shipwrecks from the great Portuguese maritime era.

$40.00

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Myola – Sydney’s Last Shipwreck – John Riley and Peter Fields

The Myola was a typical collier of the early 1900’s. On a very storm night in 1919 it went down almost due east of Dee Why. It was not until 75 years later that two relentless divers found the wreck.

This is account of the event, the finding of the wreck and its contents was self published by the divers Riley and Best in 1995.

Octavo, 102 pages nicely illustrated. The proceeds from this publication went towards conserving the ship’s bell recovered from the wreck. A super account one for divers and non-divers. A very good copy previous owners bookplate on end papers.

Myola lost and then found

$30.00

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Shipwrecks – Being the Historical Account of Shipwrecks along the Victorian Coast from Cape Otway to Port Fairy 1836-1914 – Margaret Mackenzie.

This is the third enlarged self published edition 1964 printed by National Press, Melbourne. Small octavo, 135 pages illustrated. A very good copy, bookplate of previous owner on front free end paper.

The author of this book had a lifetime interest in the subject. What makes the book all the more astonishing is that she was twelve years blind before she started to put it together with the help of her daughter Jean.

Covers eighteen important shipwrecks starting with the elusive “Mahogany Ship” … then the Thistle; Children; Joanna; Enterprise; Schomberg; Champion; Marie Gabrielle; Young Australia; Loch Ard; Eric the Red; Olivia Davis; Edinburgh Castle; Fiji; Newfield; La Bella; Falls of Halladale and the Antares.

Some nice detail and a super sketch map of the wreck locations. To read this is to have a pretty thorough knowledge of the events … the author sure did.

Victorian Shipwrecks – a Key Reference

$25.00

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Last Voyage – Ann Davison – First edition 1951

First edition of Ann Davison’s autobiographical account which ends in the most dramatic shipwreck and the loss of her husband.

An incredible individual, after all of this, she became the first woman to single-handedly sail across the Atlantic.

Published by Peter Davis, London, 1951. Octavo, 248 pages, two photographs of Ann and Frank … it was not that sort of adventure. Very good condition.

The Last Voyage begins with her earlier life as an aviator in the 1930’s delivering mail around the UK. She married Frank Davison a fellow aviator when they both worked at the Hooten airfield near Liverpool. They has a long held ambition for sailing and bought a run-down 70 foot ketch “Reliance”. Doing it up sent them broke and before the work was finished they sailed to avoid their creditors. They encountered incredible storms in the Channel and the Irish Sea … they foundered on the Portland Bill. Taking to their cork life raft they battled to survive and Frank died out of pure exhaustion ..

Now scarce and one of the most personal accounts we have read.

$35.00

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Riddle of the Titanic – Robon Gardiner & Dan Van der Vat

The Narrative of Captain David Woodward [Adventures and Suffering in the Celebes] -1805

Further Selection from the Tragic History of the Sea 1559-1565

Myola – Sydney’s Last Shipwreck – John Riley and Peter Fields

Shipwrecks – Being the Historical Account of Shipwrecks along the Victorian Coast from Cape Otway to Port Fairy 1836-1914 – Margaret Mackenzie.

Last Voyage – Ann Davison – First edition 1951

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